QC Checks: WreckDra / Sweep / Nayrz
GP Checks: Fizz / The Dutch Plumberjack
I treat Mega Gengar during teambuilding the same way I treat my girlfriend's family. I ignore em.
Skeleton Expanded from Malefic's
[OVERVIEW]
Mega Gengar is able to maintain a valuable niche in the Uber tier with Shadow Tag, which allows it to trap and remove foes. This makes Mega Gengar, albeit situationally, a stallbreaker, wallbreaker, and revenge killer rolled into one. Its excellent Special Attack and Speed stats aid it in this role, as do utility moves such as Taunt and Destiny Bond. Gengar's defensive typing along with its initial ability Levitate grants it three immunities, allowing it to come into battle a bit more easily. However, Mega Gengar's paltry bulk does it no favors, especially in an offensively inclined metagame. It is also susceptible to Pursuit, although this can be circumvented with the appropriate moves. Mega Gengar is often forced to sacrifice itself with Destiny Bond if it wishes to remove a healthy threat, and it faces indirect competition from other Mega Evolutions. It is worth noting that losing Levitate lets it absorb Toxic Spikes upon switching in and that it is able to spinblock, two small but situationally useful traits.
[SET]
name: Offensive Trapper
move 1: Destiny Bond
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Shadow Ball / Focus Blast
move 4: Taunt / Protect
item: Gengarite
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Destiny Bond is an indispensible support move that goes hand-in-glove with Shadow Tag, allowing Mega Gengar to force trades with a number of offensive and defensive threats alike. Sludge Wave is Mega Gengar's strongest Poison-type STAB move and conveniently hits Fairy-types super effectively, allowing it to eliminate them from high health. Shadow Ball is Mega Gengar's most consistent STAB move and hits slower Psychic-types such as Latias, Latios, Lugia, and Aegislash super effectively while dealing respectable damage to other Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Diancie. Focus Blast allows Mega Gengar to dispatch Tyranitar and Ferrothorn along with a few other Pokemon. Taunt complements Destiny Bond and Shadow Tag by forcing a trapped opponent to use an attacking move, in turn letting Mega Gengar use a risk-free Destiny Bond the following turn. Protect guarantees Gengar's Mega Evolution and can be used to scout and lock uncommon Choice item users. It is also a good choice for teams that struggle against Jolly Extreme Killer Arceus to let Mega Gengar safely gain the Speed advantage.
Substitute helps grant Gengar a safe Mega Evolution and eases prediction, notably against users of Thunder Wave that can also deal hefty damage to Gengar. Thunder is Gengar's strongest option for hitting such relevant threats as Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Primal Kyogre. Icy Wind is the safest option against a healthy Mega Salamence or Rayquaza. Hidden Power Fire hits Mega Scizor, which commonly runs Pursuit, and Ferrothorn for heavy damage.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature make the best use of Mega Gengar's base 130 Speed by allowing it to outrun threats such as Arceus, Darkrai, and Shaymin-S. 252 Special Attack EVs let Mega Gengar hit as hard as possible and allow it to usually OHKO standard Geomancy Xerneas with Sludge Wave. Siphoning 88 EVs from Special Attack into HP lets Mega Gengar survive Geomancy Xerneas's +2 Moonblast, but the loss in power is generally not worth it.
Usage Tips
========
Actively bringing Gengar in via double switching is key to using it effectively. Double switch Gengar in on bulky Pokemon you can remove, as dry switching Gengar in exposes it to getting slapped with a status affliction. Gengar can also be double switched into weakened offensive threats that you predict will switch in to throw out a final blow. A timely double switch can grant Gengar a safe Mega Evolution, as it has three immunities and resists Fairy-type moves. Mega Gengar can also be brought in for free against a target of its choice if you sacrifice one of your Pokemon against the foe you want to trap. Be wary of Choice Scarf users, notably Xerneas, that can surprise and 2HKO Gengar. From Team Preview, assess what Pokemon Gengar should best take down (if any) to benefit its teammates, and plan your game accordingly, as opposed to blindly making trades with Destiny Bond.
Team Options
========
Gengar appreciates teammates that handle the common Ghost-types in the tier, as these can bypass Shadow Tag. Ho-Oh pressures Ghost Arceus and deals hefty damage to Giratina-O with Brave Bird, while Yveltal checks Ghost-types in general. Switch-ins for Dark-types such as Yveltal and Dark Arceus are also required, as these can otherwise force a Destiny Bond that might be better saved for late-game; accordingly, Fairy-types such as Xerneas and Klefki make good teammates. Setup sweepers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and a Calm Mind Arceus forme can exploit Mega Gengar's trapping capabilities and blow through weakened teams. It is effective to pair Mega Gengar with another wallbreaker to pick apart defensive cores for a sweeper to tear through late-game; Ho-Oh is a good teammate, as are other hard hitters such as Primal Kyogre. Users of U-turn, especially Yveltal, can allow Mega Gengar to successfully pivot into the very Fairy-types it wants to trap.
[SET]
name: Perish Trapper (Rick Gastly)
move 1: Perish Song
move 2: Protect
move 3: Taunt / Disable
move 4: Substitute / Disable
item: Gengarite
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 84 SpD / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Mega Gengar can make use of the combination of Perish Song and Shadow Tag to trap and eliminate opposing defensive Pokemon, mono attackers, and users of a Choice item. Protect is used to guarantee Mega Evolution and allows Mega Gengar to prevent damage every other turn as it stalls for Perish Song turns. Taunt is used to prevent the use of Roar or Whirlwind, and it also prevents moves such as Thunder Wave and Spikes, which can respectively cripple Mega Gengar or otherwise harm its team. Substitute can ease the use of Perish Song after an opponent switches out their Gengar-weak Pokemon. It can also be used repeatedly against slower foes to stall for Perish Song turns; this is particularly effective against threats that have multiple moves that can KO Mega Gengar. Disable forces Choice-locked Pokemon to use Struggle and can rob attackers of the means to hit Mega Gengar, making it easier to stall for Perish Song turns.
Set Details
========
248 HP EVs are used to mitigate the mediocrity of Mega Gengar's bulk and aid in its ability to survive until Perish Song activates. 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Mega Gengar to be faster than maximum Speed Arceus formes after Mega Evolution. The remaining 84 EVs are allocated to Special Defense; this allows Mega Gengar to better take arbitrary special attacks. Specifically, they allow it to always survive a +2 Moonblast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock and frequently survive +2 Thunder.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Gengar cannot trap anything until it has Mega Evolved safely; do this by getting Mega Gengar into play early in the match. Make smart double switches or sacrifice an unneeded Pokemon to get Mega Gengar in for free against a target of choice. Against a defensive Pokemon such as Lugia, support Arceus, or defensive Xerneas, use Taunt first to prevent Mega Gengar from being phazed or crippled by status. If the foe only has one good method of dealing damage to Mega Gengar and has just used the move, Disable it. Slower Choice users that have already locked themselves into a move can be Disabled immediately; otherwise, use Protect after trapping them, and then use Disable. Once threats have been neutered, Perish Song can be set. Subsequently, use Protect to stall until the Perish Count reaches 1. Switch out after the Perish Count reaches 1 to prevent Mega Gengar from fainting alongside its trapped foe.
Team Options
========
Due to this set's ability to trap and eliminate many common Defoggers, Spikes users such as Deoxys-A, Deoxys-S, Forretress, Scolipede, Greninja, and Klefki can make the entry hazard game difficult for the opponent. Offensive Stealth Rock setters such as Primal Groudon, Dialga, and Deoxys-S also greatly benefit from Mega Gengar's ability to eliminate foes that can Defog away entry hazards. Setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence, Xerneas, Primal Groudon, and Rayquaza benefit from the pressure Mega Gengar can place on defensive support Pokemon such as support Arceus formes, Clefable, Blissey, and Klefki. Primal Kyogre is a teammate that appreciates Mega Gengar's ability to remove Ferrothorn.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Hypnosis
move 1: Hypnosis
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Hex
move 4: Sludge Wave / Destiny Bond
item: Gengarite
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hypnosis, if it hits, incapacitates a foe for at least one turn. This allows a Substitute to be set, and if the foe is asleep longer than one turn, Mega Gengar can slam it with its STAB moves. Substitute can be used to help Gengar Mega Evolve as well as further exploit sleeping foes. Due to sleep from Hypnosis, Hex's power is doubled, providing Mega Gengar with a very powerful STAB move that hits Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively. Sludge Wave is a STAB move with more immediate power that crushes Fairy-types. Destiny Bond in combination with Shadow Tag can be used to trade KOs with opposing troublesome targets.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Mega Gengar to outrun threats such as Arceus, Darkrai, and Shaymin-S. 252 Special Attack EVs maximize the damage output of Hex and Sludge Wave. 88 EVs from Special Attack can be moved into HP to allow Mega Gengar to survive a +2 Moonblast from Xerneas if a backup check is needed.
Usage Tips
========
Use of double switching is a good way to get Mega Gengar into play and to Mega Evolve it. Double into trappable defensive Pokemon and slower offensive Pokemon that fear Mega Gengar; doing so gives Gengar a free Mega Evolution, as the opponent is unlikely to stay in. Due to Sleep Clause, only one target can be put to sleep so chose wisely. While in most circumstances this is not relevant because the opponent cannot switch due to Shadow Tag, trapping a new threat after something else has been put to sleep means that the utility of Hypnosis and the power of Hex are no longer available. Use Team Preview to determine Mega Gengar's best use for the match. Sometimes this will involve incapacitating and eliminating a defensive Pokemon or Defogger, other times it might mean revenge killing a particular offensive Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Fairy-types benefit Mega Gengar as switch-ins to Dark-types such as Yveltal and Dark Arceus, which Mega Gengar either is unable to KO immediately or doesn't want to trade KOs with via Destiny Bond. Setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence, Geomancy Xerneas, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Calm Mind Arceus formes greatly benefit from Mega Gengar's ability to select and eliminate troublesome defensive Pokemon. Users of U-turn such as Yveltal are great for getting Mega Gengar into play, as they allow it to choose its matchup after the opponent's chance to switch has passed. Pokemon that perform well against Ghost-types are important teammates, as Ghost-types cannot be trapped.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Will-O-Wisp neuters Pursuit trappers such as Tyranitar and Scizor and has decent general utility outside of that, but not being able to burn Primal Groudon, a top threat, is disappointing. Reflect Type lets Gengar survive Pursuit from common users of the move such as Tyranitar and Scizor if it hits them on the switch. A specialized moveset of Reflect Type / Will-O-Wisp / Rest / Taunt can remove said Pursuit trappers efficiently, but it has little utility outside of that. Sludge Bomb can be used over Sludge Wave, as the increased chance of poison can be worth the 5 Base Power drop under certain circumstances.
Checks and Counters
===================
Mega Gengar is difficult to check in the traditional sense, as it can usually choose its matchups favorably with Shadow Tag.
**Pursuit**: Pursuit users can trap Gengar on the turn it Mega Evolves, thereby preventing it from removing a Pokemon of its choice. However, Mega Gengar can still eliminate the Pursuit user with Destiny Bond, and Tyranitar is generally OHKOed by Focus Blast, while Mega Scizor is OHKOed by Hidden Power Fire.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-type Pokemon are unaffected by Shadow Tag, allowing them to switch out freely against Mega Gengar. Giratina-O and Aegislash can also threaten Mega Gengar with STAB Shadow Sneak and have enough special bulk to survive a Shadow Ball from Mega Gengar, OHKOing it in return.
**Priority**: Super effective priority moves, such as Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak, usually OHKO Mega Gengar before it can react. However, Sucker Punch fails if Mega Gengar does not attack and can still be exploited with Destiny Bond. Given its poor bulk, Bullet Punch can pick off a weakened Mega Gengar too.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf users can typically outspeed and OHKO Mega Gengar, allowing them to revenge kill it or force it out on a double switch.
**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A, Ubers's resident fast Psychic-type powerhouses, can outspeed and dispatch Mega Gengar, as can Deoxys-S if it carries Psycho Boost. Healthy Dragon Dance users such as Rayquaza and Mega Salamence can force Mega Gengar to risk a prediction between Taunt and Destiny Bond, as can Speed Boost Blaziken. Mewtwo forces a Speed tie with Mega Gengar, which it generally does not want to risk.
**Shed Shell**: Shed Shell allows a Pokemon to escape Shadow Tag freely but has no other utility.
GP Checks: Fizz / The Dutch Plumberjack
I treat Mega Gengar during teambuilding the same way I treat my girlfriend's family. I ignore em.
Skeleton Expanded from Malefic's
[OVERVIEW]
Mega Gengar is able to maintain a valuable niche in the Uber tier with Shadow Tag, which allows it to trap and remove foes. This makes Mega Gengar, albeit situationally, a stallbreaker, wallbreaker, and revenge killer rolled into one. Its excellent Special Attack and Speed stats aid it in this role, as do utility moves such as Taunt and Destiny Bond. Gengar's defensive typing along with its initial ability Levitate grants it three immunities, allowing it to come into battle a bit more easily. However, Mega Gengar's paltry bulk does it no favors, especially in an offensively inclined metagame. It is also susceptible to Pursuit, although this can be circumvented with the appropriate moves. Mega Gengar is often forced to sacrifice itself with Destiny Bond if it wishes to remove a healthy threat, and it faces indirect competition from other Mega Evolutions. It is worth noting that losing Levitate lets it absorb Toxic Spikes upon switching in and that it is able to spinblock, two small but situationally useful traits.
[SET]
name: Offensive Trapper
move 1: Destiny Bond
move 2: Sludge Wave
move 3: Shadow Ball / Focus Blast
move 4: Taunt / Protect
item: Gengarite
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Destiny Bond is an indispensible support move that goes hand-in-glove with Shadow Tag, allowing Mega Gengar to force trades with a number of offensive and defensive threats alike. Sludge Wave is Mega Gengar's strongest Poison-type STAB move and conveniently hits Fairy-types super effectively, allowing it to eliminate them from high health. Shadow Ball is Mega Gengar's most consistent STAB move and hits slower Psychic-types such as Latias, Latios, Lugia, and Aegislash super effectively while dealing respectable damage to other Pokemon such as Primal Groudon and Diancie. Focus Blast allows Mega Gengar to dispatch Tyranitar and Ferrothorn along with a few other Pokemon. Taunt complements Destiny Bond and Shadow Tag by forcing a trapped opponent to use an attacking move, in turn letting Mega Gengar use a risk-free Destiny Bond the following turn. Protect guarantees Gengar's Mega Evolution and can be used to scout and lock uncommon Choice item users. It is also a good choice for teams that struggle against Jolly Extreme Killer Arceus to let Mega Gengar safely gain the Speed advantage.
Substitute helps grant Gengar a safe Mega Evolution and eases prediction, notably against users of Thunder Wave that can also deal hefty damage to Gengar. Thunder is Gengar's strongest option for hitting such relevant threats as Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Primal Kyogre. Icy Wind is the safest option against a healthy Mega Salamence or Rayquaza. Hidden Power Fire hits Mega Scizor, which commonly runs Pursuit, and Ferrothorn for heavy damage.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs along with a Timid nature make the best use of Mega Gengar's base 130 Speed by allowing it to outrun threats such as Arceus, Darkrai, and Shaymin-S. 252 Special Attack EVs let Mega Gengar hit as hard as possible and allow it to usually OHKO standard Geomancy Xerneas with Sludge Wave. Siphoning 88 EVs from Special Attack into HP lets Mega Gengar survive Geomancy Xerneas's +2 Moonblast, but the loss in power is generally not worth it.
Usage Tips
========
Actively bringing Gengar in via double switching is key to using it effectively. Double switch Gengar in on bulky Pokemon you can remove, as dry switching Gengar in exposes it to getting slapped with a status affliction. Gengar can also be double switched into weakened offensive threats that you predict will switch in to throw out a final blow. A timely double switch can grant Gengar a safe Mega Evolution, as it has three immunities and resists Fairy-type moves. Mega Gengar can also be brought in for free against a target of its choice if you sacrifice one of your Pokemon against the foe you want to trap. Be wary of Choice Scarf users, notably Xerneas, that can surprise and 2HKO Gengar. From Team Preview, assess what Pokemon Gengar should best take down (if any) to benefit its teammates, and plan your game accordingly, as opposed to blindly making trades with Destiny Bond.
Team Options
========
Gengar appreciates teammates that handle the common Ghost-types in the tier, as these can bypass Shadow Tag. Ho-Oh pressures Ghost Arceus and deals hefty damage to Giratina-O with Brave Bird, while Yveltal checks Ghost-types in general. Switch-ins for Dark-types such as Yveltal and Dark Arceus are also required, as these can otherwise force a Destiny Bond that might be better saved for late-game; accordingly, Fairy-types such as Xerneas and Klefki make good teammates. Setup sweepers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and a Calm Mind Arceus forme can exploit Mega Gengar's trapping capabilities and blow through weakened teams. It is effective to pair Mega Gengar with another wallbreaker to pick apart defensive cores for a sweeper to tear through late-game; Ho-Oh is a good teammate, as are other hard hitters such as Primal Kyogre. Users of U-turn, especially Yveltal, can allow Mega Gengar to successfully pivot into the very Fairy-types it wants to trap.
[SET]
name: Perish Trapper (Rick Gastly)
move 1: Perish Song
move 2: Protect
move 3: Taunt / Disable
move 4: Substitute / Disable
item: Gengarite
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
evs: 248 HP / 84 SpD / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Mega Gengar can make use of the combination of Perish Song and Shadow Tag to trap and eliminate opposing defensive Pokemon, mono attackers, and users of a Choice item. Protect is used to guarantee Mega Evolution and allows Mega Gengar to prevent damage every other turn as it stalls for Perish Song turns. Taunt is used to prevent the use of Roar or Whirlwind, and it also prevents moves such as Thunder Wave and Spikes, which can respectively cripple Mega Gengar or otherwise harm its team. Substitute can ease the use of Perish Song after an opponent switches out their Gengar-weak Pokemon. It can also be used repeatedly against slower foes to stall for Perish Song turns; this is particularly effective against threats that have multiple moves that can KO Mega Gengar. Disable forces Choice-locked Pokemon to use Struggle and can rob attackers of the means to hit Mega Gengar, making it easier to stall for Perish Song turns.
Set Details
========
248 HP EVs are used to mitigate the mediocrity of Mega Gengar's bulk and aid in its ability to survive until Perish Song activates. 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Mega Gengar to be faster than maximum Speed Arceus formes after Mega Evolution. The remaining 84 EVs are allocated to Special Defense; this allows Mega Gengar to better take arbitrary special attacks. Specifically, they allow it to always survive a +2 Moonblast from Xerneas after Stealth Rock and frequently survive +2 Thunder.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Gengar cannot trap anything until it has Mega Evolved safely; do this by getting Mega Gengar into play early in the match. Make smart double switches or sacrifice an unneeded Pokemon to get Mega Gengar in for free against a target of choice. Against a defensive Pokemon such as Lugia, support Arceus, or defensive Xerneas, use Taunt first to prevent Mega Gengar from being phazed or crippled by status. If the foe only has one good method of dealing damage to Mega Gengar and has just used the move, Disable it. Slower Choice users that have already locked themselves into a move can be Disabled immediately; otherwise, use Protect after trapping them, and then use Disable. Once threats have been neutered, Perish Song can be set. Subsequently, use Protect to stall until the Perish Count reaches 1. Switch out after the Perish Count reaches 1 to prevent Mega Gengar from fainting alongside its trapped foe.
Team Options
========
Due to this set's ability to trap and eliminate many common Defoggers, Spikes users such as Deoxys-A, Deoxys-S, Forretress, Scolipede, Greninja, and Klefki can make the entry hazard game difficult for the opponent. Offensive Stealth Rock setters such as Primal Groudon, Dialga, and Deoxys-S also greatly benefit from Mega Gengar's ability to eliminate foes that can Defog away entry hazards. Setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence, Xerneas, Primal Groudon, and Rayquaza benefit from the pressure Mega Gengar can place on defensive support Pokemon such as support Arceus formes, Clefable, Blissey, and Klefki. Primal Kyogre is a teammate that appreciates Mega Gengar's ability to remove Ferrothorn.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Hypnosis
move 1: Hypnosis
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Hex
move 4: Sludge Wave / Destiny Bond
item: Gengarite
ability: Shadow Tag
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hypnosis, if it hits, incapacitates a foe for at least one turn. This allows a Substitute to be set, and if the foe is asleep longer than one turn, Mega Gengar can slam it with its STAB moves. Substitute can be used to help Gengar Mega Evolve as well as further exploit sleeping foes. Due to sleep from Hypnosis, Hex's power is doubled, providing Mega Gengar with a very powerful STAB move that hits Psychic- and Ghost-types super effectively. Sludge Wave is a STAB move with more immediate power that crushes Fairy-types. Destiny Bond in combination with Shadow Tag can be used to trade KOs with opposing troublesome targets.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Mega Gengar to outrun threats such as Arceus, Darkrai, and Shaymin-S. 252 Special Attack EVs maximize the damage output of Hex and Sludge Wave. 88 EVs from Special Attack can be moved into HP to allow Mega Gengar to survive a +2 Moonblast from Xerneas if a backup check is needed.
Usage Tips
========
Use of double switching is a good way to get Mega Gengar into play and to Mega Evolve it. Double into trappable defensive Pokemon and slower offensive Pokemon that fear Mega Gengar; doing so gives Gengar a free Mega Evolution, as the opponent is unlikely to stay in. Due to Sleep Clause, only one target can be put to sleep so chose wisely. While in most circumstances this is not relevant because the opponent cannot switch due to Shadow Tag, trapping a new threat after something else has been put to sleep means that the utility of Hypnosis and the power of Hex are no longer available. Use Team Preview to determine Mega Gengar's best use for the match. Sometimes this will involve incapacitating and eliminating a defensive Pokemon or Defogger, other times it might mean revenge killing a particular offensive Pokemon.
Team Options
========
Fairy-types benefit Mega Gengar as switch-ins to Dark-types such as Yveltal and Dark Arceus, which Mega Gengar either is unable to KO immediately or doesn't want to trade KOs with via Destiny Bond. Setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence, Geomancy Xerneas, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Calm Mind Arceus formes greatly benefit from Mega Gengar's ability to select and eliminate troublesome defensive Pokemon. Users of U-turn such as Yveltal are great for getting Mega Gengar into play, as they allow it to choose its matchup after the opponent's chance to switch has passed. Pokemon that perform well against Ghost-types are important teammates, as Ghost-types cannot be trapped.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Will-O-Wisp neuters Pursuit trappers such as Tyranitar and Scizor and has decent general utility outside of that, but not being able to burn Primal Groudon, a top threat, is disappointing. Reflect Type lets Gengar survive Pursuit from common users of the move such as Tyranitar and Scizor if it hits them on the switch. A specialized moveset of Reflect Type / Will-O-Wisp / Rest / Taunt can remove said Pursuit trappers efficiently, but it has little utility outside of that. Sludge Bomb can be used over Sludge Wave, as the increased chance of poison can be worth the 5 Base Power drop under certain circumstances.
Checks and Counters
===================
Mega Gengar is difficult to check in the traditional sense, as it can usually choose its matchups favorably with Shadow Tag.
**Pursuit**: Pursuit users can trap Gengar on the turn it Mega Evolves, thereby preventing it from removing a Pokemon of its choice. However, Mega Gengar can still eliminate the Pursuit user with Destiny Bond, and Tyranitar is generally OHKOed by Focus Blast, while Mega Scizor is OHKOed by Hidden Power Fire.
**Ghost-types**: Ghost-type Pokemon are unaffected by Shadow Tag, allowing them to switch out freely against Mega Gengar. Giratina-O and Aegislash can also threaten Mega Gengar with STAB Shadow Sneak and have enough special bulk to survive a Shadow Ball from Mega Gengar, OHKOing it in return.
**Priority**: Super effective priority moves, such as Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak, usually OHKO Mega Gengar before it can react. However, Sucker Punch fails if Mega Gengar does not attack and can still be exploited with Destiny Bond. Given its poor bulk, Bullet Punch can pick off a weakened Mega Gengar too.
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf users can typically outspeed and OHKO Mega Gengar, allowing them to revenge kill it or force it out on a double switch.
**Faster Pokemon**: Mega Mewtwo Y and Deoxys-A, Ubers's resident fast Psychic-type powerhouses, can outspeed and dispatch Mega Gengar, as can Deoxys-S if it carries Psycho Boost. Healthy Dragon Dance users such as Rayquaza and Mega Salamence can force Mega Gengar to risk a prediction between Taunt and Destiny Bond, as can Speed Boost Blaziken. Mewtwo forces a Speed tie with Mega Gengar, which it generally does not want to risk.
**Shed Shell**: Shed Shell allows a Pokemon to escape Shadow Tag freely but has no other utility.
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